Most prints of the Declaration of Independence, such as this one, are made from a copperplate engraving created in 1823 by William J. Stone. At that point, the original parchment document was already fading. It is now preserved at the National Archives but so faint it is nearly impossible to read.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Articles attributed to "staff" are written by the editor or a senior editor. This is typically because they are brief items based on a single source, such as a press release, or there are multiple contributors, such as a collection of photos.